Weekly Newsletter 20

Bolivarian Government of Venezuela

Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs Office of The Deputy Minister for Africa

Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Kenya Concurrent to Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia

Permanent Mission of Venezuela to the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP)and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (ONU Habitat).

weeklynewsletter VOL. 1:

Inside this issue 1. celebrating 61st anniversary of Chavez's birth 2. Venezuela demands respect for the Geneva agreement 3. Extreme poverty drops 4,5% 4. Venezuela won medals in 18 sporting disciplines in 2015 Pan Am Games 5. Venezuelan indigenous children learn native languages at school 6. Venezuela promotes regional integration as a way to overcome social exclusion

ISSUE. 20, 3RD AUGUST 2015

Military museum filled with people celebrating 61st anniversary of Chavez's birth Caracas, 29 Jul. AVN.The Headquarters of the Mountain 4F, is located on the populous 23 de Enero parish, in downtown Caracas, an area full of multicolors, of rebel eye of Commander Chavez. There is Rosa Ortiz who describes what she feels at the place. "Here at the Headquarters of the Mountain what you breathe is homeland and Revolution with Chavez," she said when interviewed by the team of the Venezuelan News Agency (AVN).

Rosa said that on the eve of the birthday of Commander Chavez made 20 paper flowers to assemble a great bouquet she left as a reminder over the Flower of the Four Elements –a structure designed by Venezuelan architect Fruto Vivas– where the mortal remains of the revolutionary leader repose.

Just right here other visitors have left pictures, hats and national flags.

Francys Veracierta came from Petare, Miranda state, to commemorate the life example of Commander Chavez. "The greatest legacy of Commander is not letting the homeland being taken

away from us, the homeland he built next to us, his people," she said.

Francys, one of the many community councils members of the country, emphasized how the country changed after Chavez and also Latin America. "Chavez joined the nations, that changed Latin America and other countries.

What I can say is that here in this headquarters, Chavez is alive, more alive than ever," she added.

Lots of people from Caracas and several states of the country filled on Tuesday 4F Headquarters. People lined up on the outskirts of the place. At the entrance they are received by guides while in the background, people can hear songs Chavez sang during his speeches.

Another of the visitors was Carlos Molina. He came from Lara state, western Venezuela. "I came to spend a few days in Caracas and I took the opportunity to come to this place that looks like a museum. This is all very beautiful, I liked the tour," he said.

Activities to commemorate the 61 anniversary of the birth of Chavez began last Monday with cultural and artistic presentations and the visit of figures of the Bolivarian Revolution. www.avn.info.ve

At UN Venezuela demands respect for the Geneva Agreement Caracas, 29 Jul. AVN.Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro met Tuesday with United Nations secretary general Ban Ki Moon, at the headquarters of the international organization in New York, USA, to present the truth about Venezuela's legitimate claim on the Essequibo, a territory taken away by the British Empire.

After the meeting, the Venezuelan leader held a press conference to inform that he explained Ban Ki Moon in detail and in a systematic way the territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, which reached a complex point following the provocations of the international right, using the territorial dispute as an excuse to take over the Venezuelan oil and undermine the Latin American and Caribbean unity.

He also reiterated his willingness to resolve the dispute with Guyana through diplomatic means and respecting the Geneva Agreement, a legal instrument signed in 1966 to settle the territorial conflict. This mediation agreement states that no acts or activities can take place on the disputed territories while the agreement signed by the parties is in force.

Guyana recently violated this agreement to allow US

company Exxon Mobil to explore "It means that the British for oil in the Essequibo's maritime Empire and the British area claimed by Venezuela. government, before granting to Guyana, "Through the Geneva independence acknowledged that the 1899 Agreement, a mechanism of international law that is binding to Arbitral Award was not valid, did Venezuela and the Cooperative not mark the final results of what Republic of Guyana, is that we was Venezuela's claim on must continue to channel all Guayana Esequiboa," he said. unfinished issues of Guayana It was in 1949 when, Esequiba," said the President, who through a memorandum written gave an account of the historical by American lawyer Severo context of the area in dispute, Mallet-Prevost, who had acted as which dates back to more than a junior counsel for Venezuela in the century when due to colonial and Arbitral Tribunal's hearing, it was imperialist shady deals, Venezuela learned that the award was the was emptied of a vast territory, result of a political deal between since then, subject of a claim. the United States and Great "The Guayana Esequiba Britain, agreed outside the rule of always belonged to Venezuela, international law that made an from the very foundation of the arbitrary delineation of the Captaincy General of Venezuela border. Therefore any Venezuelan in 1777 and at all stages of government has recognized or independence when we became accepted this arbitration award. independent of the Spanish rule, The Essequibo has great when the Gran Colombia – natural resources which give it a including Venezuela, Colombia, high potential from the point of Panama, Ecuador– was founded," view of resources: forestry, he said. mining, energy, water and tourism.

He further pointed out that Among the natural the Treaty of Geneva marked a resources and potential in the new historical era and obliges mining sector, this territory is rich governments of Guyana and in bauxite, manganese, gold and Venezuela to abide by its diamonds, kaolin, sand, clay, provisions to settle the Essequibo silica, mica, copper, uranium, iron, controversy. manganese, hematite, kyanite, among others.

The Guayana Esequiba (claim area), which has an area of 159,542 kilometers, belongs to the Republic of Venezuela from 1811 at the time when it is included in its first Constitution.

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continuation Good Officer request is ratified Venezuela's president denounced that since president of Guyana, David Granger took office, he has been dedicated to vilify the history and people of Venezuela, which is why Maduro confirmed that he will defend the historical rights of Venezuelans on the Essequibo.

On July 10, Venezuela formally requested the UN to appoint a Good Officer contributing to mediate between the two countries; However, Guyana rejected this initiative.

In this regard, president Maduro said that Venezuela reiterated on Tuesday at the United Nations its request to immediately appoint a Good Officer of this international body, a mechanism established in the Geneva Agreement to resolve peacefully territorial dispute over the Essequibo territory.

"(Granger) has taken serious decisions that ignore the Geneva Treaty, ignore the mechanism known as the Good Officer and filled relations between Guyana and Venezuela with tension, as well as relations He said that the UN in the Caribbean that are passing Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, in an atmosphere of peace and promised to name a commission to tranquility" he said. visit Venezuela and Guyana to

promote the mechanism.

Good

Officer

This could lead to a meeting between President Maduro and the head of state of Guyana next September.

Maduro said that in order to appoint a Good Officer, this figure must have prior approval from the governments of Venezuela and Guyana. www.avn.info.ve

Extreme poverty drops 4,5% A total of 254,222 people has overcame the extreme poverty in Venezuela between January and July 2015, which mean a drop of 4,5%, as a result of the social investment of 62% of the national budget for health, housing, education, culture and sport programs.

In 2014, the number of people in extreme poverty was 1, 6 million; nowadays, the number is 1, 3 million, according to a recent figures. Venezuela’s total population is 30,620,404 residents.

Reduction of extreme poverty has been a continual progress from 10, 8% in 1998 to 6, 8% in 2011. The poverty in 2014 was 5, 4%; nowadays, the extreme poverty index is 4, 5%.

The information was given by the Vice-Minister of Planning and Knowledge Ricardo MenĂŠndez, who also inform that overcrowded houses drop from 14,6% (1998) to 7,9% (2015).

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Venezuelan indigenous children learn native languages at school

Caracas, 31 Jul. AVN.The Law on Indigenous Languages –enacted in July 2008– made teaching of indigenous languages compulsory in schools located in tribal communities of Venezuela. This fostered a new space of socialization in which younger generations can learn to speak and write the language that was previously taught by their family.

Article 31 of this law states that "teaching of indigenous languages is compulsory, both oral and written, in all public and private educational institutions, located in indigenous habitats."

This is a policy that aims to preserve the languages of indigenous communities that have endured over 500 years of colonization.

Seven years have passed since the adoption of this law, and Gledys Martinez –a teacher of Kariña community of Santa Rosa de Tacata in Paraman, Anzoategui state– tells of her experience of teaching ethnic languages based on respect for recognized indigenous peoples.

The first thing she says in an interview with the press team of the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples is that "our ancestors lived hard times, it is said that grandparents and community elders refrained from teaching their children and grandchildren the kariña language because if Spanish colonists saw them, they chose to cut out their tongue."

"With the Revolution we were born anew, we are given participation in a Constitution and the Organic Law of Indigenous Peoples and Communities, hence the obligation to teach the native language from early childhood education," she says.

Earlier, in 1988, Gledys had already decided with other Paraman teachers to teach at schools the language of their grandparents.

After several years of work, a new challenge was lying in front of them: to produce the Kariña Pedagogical Guide for bilingual intercultural education, released on 1 November 2008 and made with support of state-owned oil company PDVSA. More than 500 Indigenous people participated in the development of this guide that required two years of work, Gledys remembers.

"We held talks with community elders, along with teachers, for a high quality product and not to let the ancestral knowledge die," she says.

At her school in Santa Rosa de Tacata, Gledys highlights that there is a special day a week, called 'Civic Monday', in which

children learn about the history and national heroes. They also created 'Indigenous Friday' for children to sing the national anthem in Kariña.

"We have 'Civic Mondays' and 'Indigenous Fridays', those are special days because children are taught about our ancestors, the heroes of the homeland and culture; they are like a sponge and absorb everything that a teacher explains," she highlights.

The Law on Indigenous Languages recognizes as official languages of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Spanish language and the following languages of the indigenous peoples: amorua, anu, aruako, arekuna, ayaman, baniwa, bare, bari, chaima, chase, e'ñepa, jodi, jivi, japreria, kapon, kubeo, kumanagoto, kari'ña, kurripako, kuiva, mako, makushi, mopuoy, ñengatu, pemon, piaroa, puinave, pume, saliva, sanema, sape, timote, uruak, wotjüja, warekena, warao, wayuu, yanomami, yavarana, ye'kuana and yukpa. www.avn.info.ve

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Venezuela promotes regional integration as a way to overcome social exclusion Caracas, 31 Jul. AVN.Venezuela ratified at the Security Council of the United Nations (UN), which met on Thursday, its willingness to continue contributing to and advocating the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean to seek common solutions to the problems of the region.

At the meeting, held at UN headquarters in New York, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez, conveyed a message from President Nicolas Maduro, to ratify Venezuela's stance.

In this message, the Head of State reaffirmed that Venezuela will continue defending peace.

Rodriguez also said that Venezuela is a country that earned his sovereignty through independence struggles and was born with a territory inherited by its liberators.

"Today we can say that we have a free, sovereign country practicing a diplomacy that enhances the principles of the Bolivarian revolution and peace. We have overcome the rough roads of neoliberalism and thanks to President Hugo Chavez we raise our nation's flag, breaking with a neoliberal model that oppressed our people and the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean," added Rodriguez in her speech.

"The Venezuelan people and the Bolivarian government are a peaceloving nation that practises its vocation of peace every day. We are proud to be a country of peace, we practice and defend real partnership and formulas of integration, seeking common solutions to difficulties and problems of the needy, dispossessed and traditionally excluded people," read Foreign Minister in New York.

In such message, President ratifies that Venezuela believes in a direct dialogue and constant communication, always acting in compliance with international law.

"We follow the rules laid down by international law because we recognize the validity of the rules for coexistence between countries in conjunction with the principles to maintain and develop relations of friendship and good neighborliness," she added.

Before the Security Council of the UN, Venezuela also reiterated its willingness to continue contributing to peace and international security, sovereign equality of states, non-foreign interference, independence of nations as well as building a multicenter multipolar world.

"We pride ourselves on being a unit consolidated with our Caribbean brothers.

When the nations are determined to be free, sovereign and independent there is no force, no matter how powerful, that can stop them," she said. www.avn.info.ve

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Venezuela won medals in 18 sporting disciplines in 2015 Pan Am Games Caracas, 28 Jul. AVN.The 354-athlete Venezuelan delegation that participated in the 17th Toronto 2015 Pan American Games, achieved to mount to the continental podium in 18 sports with a balance of 50 won medals, including 8 golds, 22 silvers and 20 bronzes to place the nation in the eighth spot of the medal chart.

The disciplines that contributed the most medals for the country were freestyle and GrecoRoman wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, karate, fencing, road and track cycling.

The other sports also yielding medals for Team Venezuela were equestrian, shooting, taekwondo, swimming, waterski, open water, gymnastics artistic, athletics, bowling, and team sports as men's softball and women's baseball.

In this continental competition held between 10 and 26 July, the discipline that most medals picked up for the tricolor flag was freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, with 8 medals to remain in the fourth place of the medal table of this discipline behind the United States, Cuba and Canada, respectively.

The winners were Wuileixis Rivas, who captured a gold medal, while Querys Perez and Maria Acosta earned silver. Meanwhile, athletes Pedro Mejias, Cristian Sarcos, Jose Diaz, Luillys Perez and Betzabeth Arguello won bronze.

Weightlifting did not lag behind and gave seven medals to Venezuela to get second place in the medal table of the discipline behind Colombia totaling 8 golds, 3 silvers

and 2 bronzes. This outstanding performance of weightlifting was made possible through the work of Jesus Gonzalez Barrios and Yaniuska Espinosa, who won gold medals each; Junior Sanchez, Naryury Perez, Genesis Rodriguez and Yusleidy Figueroa earned silver; and Jesus Lopez, who took a bronze medal.

In fencing, the natives contributed six medals: 2 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze, and ranked second in the medal chart leaded by the United States with 9 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze. The golds were obtained by epee fencer Ruben Limardo, and the men's team epee composed of Francisco Limardo, Silvio Fernandez and Ruben Limardo.

Fencing's silver medals were won by Alejandra Benitez in women's sabre and women's epee team made up of Eliana Lugo, Dayana Martinez and Maria Martinez. The two remaining bronzes went to Maria Martinez in individual epee, and the women's sabre team composed of Shia Rodriguez, Milagros Pastran, and Alejandra Benitez.

Venezuela's boxing won six metals and ranked fourth in the medal standings of the discipline, behind Cuba, Canada and the United States respectively. Gabriel Maestre was the most prominent to reach the gold medal in men's welterweight (69 kg) category.

However, boxers Albert Ramirez in men's light heavy (81 kg) and Edgar Muñoz in men's super heavy semifinals (91+kg) showed a good

level of national boxing and stayed with the silver.

Boxers Endry Saavedra, Yoel Finol and Luis Arcon counted three bronze medals for the Venezuelan delegation.

Meanwhile, karate also gave positive results for Venezuela by winning 5 medals and ranking seventh in the medal chart of the discipline.

Jovanni Martinez in the 60-kg category and Alexander Nicastro in the -75 kg added two silvers to the nation; while César Herrera (-84 kg), Yeisy Piña (+68 kg), and Omaira Molina (-68 kg), captured one bronze each.

In cycling there was also a significant contribution in both road and track events. In the track race, cyclist Hersony Canelon won two individual medals, a silver in the keirin competition and a bronze in sprint; while the men's team sprint made up of Angel Pulgar, Cesar Marcano, and Hersony Canelon, earned another silver.

The greatest achievement of this discipline was won by Miguel Ubeto in road cycling, who won the gold medal at the Pan American Games. www.avn.info.ve

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